The Kindness of Strangers
The Kindness of Strangers is the eighth episode of Three Rivers of Season One. Summary A wealthy man attempts to buy his dying wife a new liver when she is denied a legal transplant. Andy gets a blast from the past when an old friend from his criminal past resurfaces. Also, Miranda and Andy try to treat a young couple who are infected by an unknown pathogen. Synopsis Near Yorkstown, Ohio, a young woman is stranded on the road, trying to fix a flat tire. A middle aged year old man helps her, only to be decieved, robbed, and shot. Meanwhile, at a party at San Fransisco, Tracy Warren collapses, with her husband calling for 911. Dr. Andy Yablonski is alerted to see a paitent in the ER. Nick Gerry was in the ER, trying to get out of the bed because he wanted water and thought he needed pain meds. Nick took a fall down the atic stairs, and then drove himself to Three Rivers. Nick was opperated on to fix the acteiral injury he had; he was bleeding in the chest. Dr. Sophia Jordan explains that Tracy collapsed from acute aconic liver failure. Transplant was her best option, but even though her husband was a match and could donate half of his liver, her condition was so critical that Tracy had to have a whole new liver. Tracy, though exasparated, agrees. Kuol eargerly shows Andy the newpapr article about Koul hoping to get a transplant, and shows him the website that would reach Kuol's gaol, the "break they needed." Beth arrived at the hospital, forgetting the sketchbook that he specificly asked for. She offerd to go back to the house get it, but Nick said that she didn't have to. When Dr. Miranda Foster heard that the reason the fall was not a slip, and a fainting, she asked if the fainting had happened before. Nick said no, but he had been having headaches for the past few weeks and he felt as if he was fighting off the flu. Miranda said that they had to run extra tests. Koul is accepted on the UNOS list. Tracy and her husband immeditly agree to accepting a liver from an unnamed donor. Even though she was accepted for the liver, she requested that if she should die, John must continue her foundation, but he said that would not happen because there was no such thing as failure. Pam geos on a donor-run with David; David flirts with her and teases her for her admiration for Tracy Warren, both have no effect. Andy gets an usettling call, and Miranda shows him Nick's lab results. Andy listened to Nick's lungs, and Andy said that his liver functions were spiking and he could have kidney disfuntion. Nick was asked a serious of qeustions, all of which Nick answered no to, except that his stress level was two times the highest number on the scale, ten. Miranda also asks Beth a serious of qeustions, all of which Beth answered no to, except that Beth told her that she didn't know very much about Nick. At St. Francis hospital, David is opperating on the donor he realizes that there is a tumor on the liver for Tracy Warren. The liver, it turned out, was not valuable. Tracy asked if the opperation was ready, but Sophia broke the news to them that the liver was bad, and that they had to wait for a another one. Out of earshot of Tracy, John asked how she could have made a mistake. Sophia told them that they had to wait for a another one. John was furious, and could not wait, however, and pleaded with Sophia that if she needed a transplant wing, she could have one, if she gave if wife a new liver. Sophia denies his request. Andy reunites with Micheal, a man from his long-forgotten past. Micheal referrs to Andy as Andrew. Micheal says that Andy is like a son to him. Back when Andy was a teenager, Andy broke into people's houses "for (me) him." It took Andy getting arrested to make Micheal see that he didn't want his nephew to have that kind of life. At an unknown time, Micheal gave Andy money for medical school (which Andy paid back to get Micheal a lawyer, but Micheal instead bought a car wash.) and Micheal went to prision at an unknown time. Andy is pleased to see Micheal after such a long time, but is skeptical of why Micheal wants to see him after a number of years. Back at Three Rivers, Andy and Miranda discuss Nick's symyoms with two other doctors, and they come to a conclusion that Nick is expeiencing symtoms from CMV. John signed Tracy out of the hospital against medical advice, Andy then tells the two couple that the viris was common, but for some, like Nick, it caused the symtoms that Nick experienced, but Andy informes them that he wasn't sue if that caused Nick to be sick. Nick declines from Beth's desion of asking another doctor's opinion. Two weeks later, Nick was almost back to normal heath; he could go home tomorrow. Nick was disapointed, because Beth was always short with him, and being in the hospital was a great way to aviod her. Tracy came back to Three Rivers for fever, vomiting, and an adomatal infection. She was septic, and Sophia was able to treat her for her infection. It was revealed that John took her to Switzerland to get a transplant, and bought a liver from China. Koul is laying peacfully in his hospital bed, doing crossward puzzes. Andy warns him to be careful. Ryan gives the list of the people who donated the money to Kuol, since Kuol wanted to thank them personally. Andy is surprised to learn that there was a $1, 300 donation. The unexpected comes, when Beth lands in the hospital, and Nick and Beth are both in isolation. When Pam finds out that Tracy's liver is from China, she is shocked, and proposes to Dr. Jordan that they should not treat her. Dr. Jordan says that they must, leaving Pam's ideal's about Tracy Warren shattered. When Tracy awoke, she was angry and confused at her husband those actions, and wanted him to leave. Tracy's liver stopped functioning, and Tracy was rushed to the OR.When Beth awoke, Nick explained what happened and that they were in isolation. They laugh, and Nick promises her that if they can make it through this, they can make it through anything. Andy, with Miranda, explain to Nick and Beth that they have been both expeienced symtoms from cronic low-level exposre to solvent; it could cause change in behavior: depression, mood swings, and anxitiy. With medication, they could expect a full recovory. Miranda is concerned about Andy's behavior, and after some hesitation, she says goodbye to him. Fortunately, Tracy was able to pull through. John explains his actions to her, and he vows that he would spend every dollar to make up for the actions that he did, and she forgives him. When Andy sees Micheal and Casper again, Micheal confesses that he was the one who donated the abundant money to Koul's fundation, because he believed that if he needed help, Andy would be there for him; Micheal's intentions prove to be wrong, even when Micheal reminds Andy of the blood they share; it is revealed that Micheal is Andy's uncle. Andy walks away. Category:Episodes